Encumbrance
Even the fastest sprinter wonÆt move so quickly when heÆs carrying 140 pounds
of armor, weapons, and adventuring gear. A characterÆs encumbrance falls into
five categories: none, light, moderate, heavy, and severe. Encumbrance is described in the PlayerÆs Handbook in Chapter 6: Money and Equipment.
To determine the characterÆs encumbrance category, find his Strength and read
across the table. The numbers on the table are the breakpoints for each
category. A character with a Strength of 14 is not encumbered until he has 56 pounds
of gear, lightly encumbered until he has 86 pounds of gear, moderately
encumbered until he carries 116 pounds of gear, and heavily encumbered up to a load of
146 pounds.
To calculate a monsterÆs strength for this purpose, add 31/2 points per size
category (rounded down) to the monsterÆs base Hit Dice (ignoring plusses). Thus,
an ogre has a generic Strength score of 18 (Large creature is size category 4,
x 31/2 = 14, plus 4 Hit Dice = 18).
| Character
| Encumbrance Category
|
| Strength
| Lt.
| Mod.
| Hvy.
| Severe
|
| 3
| 6
| 7
| 8
| 10
|
| 4û5
| 11
| 14
| 17
| 20
|
| 6û7
| 21
| 20
| 39
| 47
|
| 8û9
| 36
| 51
| 66
| 81
|
| 10û11
| 41
| 59
| 77
| 97
|
| 12û13
| 46
| 70
| 94
| 118
|
| 14û15
| 56
| 86
| 116
| 146
|
| 16
| 71
| 101
| 131
| 161
|
| 17
| 86
| 122
| 158
| 194
|
| 18
| 111
| 150
| 189
| 228
|
| 18/01
| 136
| 175
| 214
| 253
|
| 18/51
| 161
| 200
| 239
| 278
|
| 18/76
| 186
| 225
| 264
| 303
|
| 18/91
| 236
| 275
| 314
| 353
|
| 18/00
| 336
| 375
| 414
| 453
|
A creatureÆs final movement is figured by comparing current encumbrance with
natural base movement.
| Base
| Encumbrance Category
|
| Move
| None
| Lt.
| Mod.
| Hvy.
| Severe
|
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 1
|
| 2
| 2
| 2
| 1
| 1
| 1
|
| 3
| 3
| 2
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
| 4
| 4
| 3
| 2
| 1
| 1
|
| 5
| 5
| 4
| 3
| 1
| 1
|
| 6
| 6
| 4
| 3
| 2
| 1
|
| 7
| 7
| 5
| 4
| 2
| 1
|
| 8
| 8
| 6
| 4
| 2
| 1
|
| 9
| 9
| 7
| 5
| 2
| 1
|
| 10
| 10
| 7
| 5
| 3
| 1
|
| 11
| 11
| 8
| 6
| 3
| 1
|
| 12
| 12
| 9
| 6
| 3
| 1
|
| 13
| 13
| 10
| 7
| 3
| 1
|
| 14
| 14
| 11
| 7
| 4
| 1
|
| 15
| 15
| 12
| 8
| 4
| 1
|
| 16
| 16
| 12
| 8
| 4
| 1
|
| 17
| 17
| 13
| 9
| 4
| 1
|
| 18
| 18
| 14
| 9
| 5
| 1
|
In addition to affecting how far a character can move in a combat round,
encumbrance also affects how well a character can fight. Moderately encumbered
characters suffer a û1 penalty to attack rolls. Heavily encumbered characters suffer
a û2 attack penalty, and their Armor Class suffers a +1 penalty. If the
character is severely encumbered, he suffers a û4 penalty to all attacks and a +3
penalty to his Armor Class. Fatigue may temporarily increase a characterÆs
effective encumbrance; see Fatigue for more information.
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